Discrimination at the University of Rhode Island

Mark Perry, of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), notes that the University of Rhode Island has made the list of American institutions of higher education under investigation by the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for possible violations of Title IX:

The University just accepted $1 million from Karen L. Adams for single-sex, female-only scholarships that will discriminate based on sex (no male students are allowed to apply and that scholarship funding openly excludes male students from participation based on sex, and that scholarship funding openly denies male students from the benefits of that funding in violation of Title IX.

This isn’t the only discriminatory program at URI. In 2017, I became aware of a chemistry camp at the university available for free to Rhode Island middle school students, as long as they are female. The 2019 camp was in April. In fact, the week-long camp is so popular that it’s full, and participation is limited to those who have not gone in the past:

A weeklong chemistry camp for Rhode Island girls in grades 6-8. Girls will come to URI every day (transportation not included) from 9 am to 4 pm April 15-19, and take part in a full day of interactive science education. Each day has a THEME, will include lunch and snack, and will allow girls to participate in hands-on science experiments. No experience is necessary, just an interest in science and a sense of fun! We will talk with female scientists in interesting professions, travel to Mystic Aquarium, and visit the Narragansett Bay Commission. THE CAMP IS FREE; students are expected to figure out their own transportation to and from URI daily.

When I first noticed the program, I contacted the professor who runs it, Mindy Levine. She acknowledged that “research that [she had] read on boys’ education indicates clearly that current educational models are designed for girls and the way girls learn, and that all children (but especially boys) would benefit from more extensive hands-on, experiential learning.” Professor Levine said she would be willing to work with somebody on a program for boys, but I’m not able to find any that have been developed.

This is the seventh year of the girls program, funded by Pfizer, and it accommodates 40 girls (or boys who identify as girls).

Yeah, noticed that as well a while back and was disappointed to find that the one camp with rocket candy experiments was not open to my kid.

ShannonEntropy

In a State that has a female governor who runs a No-Boys-Allowed Governor for a Day contest every year, are you surprised ??

To understand how outrageous this is, imagine the reaction if the white governor held a No-Blacks-Allowed or a male governor held a No-Girls-Allowed contest. I donut think they have a font big enough to print the resulting headlines

Jonas Jones

Aw do you all lack the nuance to recognize why this isn’t discrimination on the level you’re claiming it to be? Large swathes of people who were grossly discriminated against for hundreds of years in this country deserve a little something now and again. Not everything is about the white man anymore and just in case you forgot the white man still is #1 and will be for a long time to come so relax a little. Bunch of wayward cucky conservatives afraid of 21st century change. Better learn to adapt or things are only going to get worse for you as that particular mindset goes by the wayside, so archaic, so feeble-minded.

Justin Katz

No 13-year-old girl has been discriminated against for hundreds of years, unless you have a very primitive belief system that treats all people who share some demographic qualities as if they are part of one spiritual body. Add into the mix that 80% of teen/young-adult suicides are male, and your primitive mindset is callous and barbaric.

BasicCaruso

Of course we’re talking about enforcement of Title IX, which has been a huge benefit to women and girls in sports and education. Justin is wrong about so many things, but I’m not so sure he’s wrong about this one…

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Monique Chartier

This is unacceptable. I DO NOT understand how you loudly deplore sexism on the one hand — and then proceed to blatantly engage in it yourself. CC: Gina Raimondo.

Joe Smith

From the link to URI – Nationally, women earn about 57 percent of all bachelor’s degrees and just over half of all science and engineering bachelor’s degrees, but remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics professions.

So wouldn’t a better comparison be comparing science and engineering degrees to well, science and engineering jobs? When you throw in IT, I suspect you skew the “jobs” ratio.

I think URI may run afoul with OCR on the scholarships without some offsetting balance on the men’s side.

Justin did you file an OCR complaint on the camp?

Justin Katz

I did not, but I believe Mr. Perry has done so.

ShannonEntropy

Aw do you all lack the nuance to recognize why this isn’t discrimination
on the level you’re claiming it to be? Large swathes of people who were
grossly discriminated against for hundreds of years in this country
deserve a little something now and again.

So two wrongs make a right ??

So much more the TOLERANCE & EQUALITY you libtard hypocrites keep calling for — unless it’s the honky WHITEY Privilege-Boy asking for it